Ginebra overpowers Barako Bull

Ginebra overpowers Barako Bull

Ginebra 93 vs. Barako Bull 73

by rick olivares with pic by tunying p.

October 22, 2010

Cuneta Astrodome

The problem with losing is that the ugliness comes out. And for a team like Ginebra San Miguel, the old reason for not winning is that there are too many star players and not enough role players is floated around among the basketball cognoscenti. While true, that statement also contains the operative word “old.”

Many of the team’s players are in their 30’s and supposedly past their prime and while having seen one too many injuries. Again supposedly.

The late Pinggoy Pengson once described the country’s most popular ballclub as being held together by “spit, blood, and Jaworski pride.” That was true then but you can still argue for pride for today’s team.

On a Friday evening at the Cuneta Astrodome, the Barangay Ginebra Kings, reeling from a pair of one-point loses to Meralco and San Miguel, survived an early outburst from former players Aris Dimaunahan and Sunday Salvacion to blast Barako Bull 93-74.

After a disappointing finish to last year’s Fiesta Cup campaign and the Kings’ early 1-2 record, the triumvirate dubbed “the Fast, the Furious, and the Fearless” has been privately called “the Slow, the Angry, and the Fearless.”

“It’s only ‘the Fearless’ who is still who he is,” said an SMC official who refused to be named.

The three – Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguiao, and Ronald Tubid – in three games has collectively seen a drop in production. They scored 25 against the Bolts, 23 against the Powerade Tigers, and 20 versus the Beermen. But The Gins also have others who can provide a shot in the arm. They’ve got Thriller and the H-Bomb. They even have “The Rocket” in reserve. And perhaps what this veteran Ginebra team needed was to go up against a young team that was also reeling.

The Barako Bulls is quite the opposite. No all-star line-up but instead, they resemble the Ginebra teams of old – discards and the well-traveled with a sprinkling of new blood. And for head coach Junel Baculi, he hoped to borrow some of that old college rah rah to jump start his struggling team. “Believe!” he underscored in the pre-game. “For us to win, we need to all work together and help one another on the court.”

As the Kings struggled defending the outside sniping of Dimaunahan in the early goings, it was obvious the team seemed to lack some chemistry.

With some combinations not clicking, Kings head coach Jong Uichico sent Rudy Hatfield back into the match along with Willy Wilson.

The duo’s workman-like ethic provided Ginebra’s guards to do what they do best. Hatfield pulled down 22 huge rebounds with five coming on the offensive end. He also found his scoring touch as he added 13 points.

In 21 quality minutes, Wilson scored five points, pulled down five rebounds, passed for four assists to go with one steal. He defended the Energy Boosters’ Mark Isip, Rob Wainwright, and Sunday Salvacion.

Said Uichico after the game, “We still have a lot of work to do. We have to make sure that every one understands their role and that they need to not look at their statistics and do what they can to contribute. That final score may be a lot but we only took control in the fourth quarter.”

It was the Kings’ 12-0 blitz to end the first half that gave them a 45-39 lead at the half. And it was a good enough cushion for the Energy Boosters stayed close behind in the third by scoring 24 points to Ginebra’s 26.

The People’s Team seized control with a 8-0 blast to open the final period that took the took the wind out of Barako Bull’s sails.

“It feels good to get a win like that,” said a relieved Caguiao after the game. “We put San Miguel in a 20-point hole in our game and they came back. I just really wanted to help my team. It sure feels good.”

The Gins’ version of the fabled NBA trio of Run-TMC upped their production to 34 points.

Aris Dimaunahan led the Energy Boosters with 14 points but only scored four in the latter part of the game after a scorching 10-point first quarter.

Ginebra 93 – Caguioa 18, Miller 15, Hatfield 13, Cortez 11, Tubid 8, Helterbrand 8, Aquino 5, Intal 5, Wilson 5, Mamaril 3, Villanueva 2, Cruz 0

Barako Bull 74 – Dimaunahan 14, Isip 13, Hubalde 11, Salvacion 9, Juntilla 8, Thiele 7, Wainwright 7, Andaya 2, Misolas 2, Bono 1, Hermida 0, Cruz 0